By Noell Wolfgram Evans

The Cuyahoga Falls Board of Education held its lone July meeting on the 8th inside the Cuyahoga Falls High School Performing Arts Center. In attendance were Board President Anthony Gomez, Vice President Carrie Schaefer and members Patrice White, A.J. Harris and Courtney Zimmerman. Also present were Superintendent Andrea Celico and Treasurer Kristy Stoicoiu.

The meeting started promptly at 7 p.m. with a roll call, followed by the approval of the night’s agenda. Gomez then read a procedural statement and Harris led the assembled in the pledge before offering welcoming remarks.

Celico next introduced Laura DiCola from the GAR Foundation. The foundation was being presented with the board’s Friend of Education Award. Celico explained that the foundation provided $52,980 in grant funding to the district this year alone. 

“In lifetime funding, they have given $671,901,” Celico said.

Athletic Director Kenny Johnson then rose to offer a set of spring sports awards. Junior Braylon Davis was honored for his work on the baseball diamond, sophomore Ava Waite received accolades for her efforts in softball and track and field standouts junior Elizabeth Taylor, senior Violet Gray and sophomore Ethan Johnson were also honored. 

“These students have excelled in and out of the classroom,” Kenny Johnson said.

Teachers Steve McIntosh and Steve Newlon then rose to present an update on the Fresh Farm program and to share the news that they recently received a $100,000 grant for the program. To date, 600 students have participated in Fresh Farm and their efforts have grown 17,000 pounds of food for the community. The grant will be used to purchase a number of supplies, tools and materials. One of the purchases will be a 9-foot by 9-foot hydroponic growing wall that will be placed right outside of the cafeteria. It will be used to grow lettuce for the school and students whenever they need it. 

Next on the agenda was an update on the district’s strategic plan. Celico introduced the plan and then invited each of the core team leaders to offer a short presentation on their efforts to date. During the presentation on A Culture of Caring, the board learned that the district’s chronic absenteeism rate has dropped 10 points since 2023. Presentations were also made on Facilitating Our Financial Future and Steering to Student Achievement. 

Following this, the board moved on to the treasurer’s consent agenda, where they unanimously approved the minutes of the June 20 meeting, the acceptance of two donations and the treasurer to “change funds” to cover athletic and food costs.

Stoicoiu then shared a series of financial reports and statements. She said that at the end of June, the general fund had $746,801. She also shared that the switch to electronic credit cards saw the district receive over $12,000 in rebates. All of these reports were approved unanimously.

The financial discussion then moved to a levy statement of fact that Stoicoiu passed out to the board. This consisted of potential changes that would need to be made if the November levy failed. Items on the statement included increased pay-to-play athletic fees, a reduction in busing and a reduction in staff. Gomez suggested that the possibility of closing another school should also be placed into discussion, although he was quick to say “I am not advocating for any of this.” 

Zimmerman asked if these changes would provide a form of temporary financial relief or if they would need to make these types of decisions again in a year. 

“It really depends on what cuts are made,” Stoicoiu responded. 

This opened a broader discussion as to how to present this information to the public. Stoicoiu offered to make some adjustments and provide more detail in the numbers so the board could review it again at the August meeting.

The superintendent’s consent agenda was the next item up. The board quickly and unanimously approved contracts with KidsLink, Wings of Change, ParentSquare and ESCNEO. They also approved the athletic worker pay schedule and a number of personnel appointments, transfers and one resignation.

There was then a protracted discussion on what the new title of Heather Zeman would be. After much discussion, there was a thick silence before the board approved her title as the director of student special services. 

The board was finally able to move into their regular business. This consisted of the first reading of a policy change to the district organizational chart and the adoption of policies regarding credit cards, truancy, student absences and student medication. The board also unanimously approved a resolution to allow members to seek recognition from the Ohio School Boards Association. 

A brief discussion was held around previously submitted language that would be used for stadium rentals. At 8 p.m., the board entered into executive session.